When it came to spying on it's own citizens, the Stasi, the secret police of the now defunct German Democratic Republic (East Germany), certainly should be considered for top honors since they achieved the dubious distinction of having one of the highest citizen/spy ratios in recent history. Perhaps in an effort to do the Stasi one better, we are here in the home of the brave and the free, developing our own home grown snitch and spy program courtesy of head honcho and Big Sister Janet Napolitano of the Department of Homeland Security and Walmart, Inc. The creepy, "If you see something, say something" campaign may soon be coming to a new Walmart Super Center being built near you.If spying and snitching on your fellow citizens while shopping for the usual gaudy junk from China doesn't appeal to you, then despair not because the Pohatcong Town Council has provided
us with some comic relief. By unanimous vote, our council critters have given the okay to have traffic cameras installed at certain busy intersections along our big box corridor on Rt 22. But it's all about public safety after all so that's okay right? Never mind that this has never been proven because as one of the critters said to me "hey, the town could use the money" and that seems to trump all these days. Keep that in mind as you mail out that first infraction check and remember to smile as you do so or someone from Walmart nation may drop a dime on you. Big Sister loves you. You will learn to love her too.
The U.S department of home security, helping you drink the Kool aid whoops I meant Keeping you safe since 2002.
ReplyDeleteFound this interesting comment on Lehigh Vally Live site. So the authorities can rig these things to maximize revenue? What an outrage!
ReplyDeleteNews item — red light cameras are coming to Route 22 in Pohatcong Township.
Officials trumpet the safety issue but it’s a smoke screen. It’s all about revenue.
In the last quarter of 2010, Linden, N.J., realized more than $800,000 from such cameras. Brick, N.J., got more than $1 million for its town coffers in 2010.
If the projected revenues fall short, the length of the yellow light is decreased or the camera location is changed, as was one in Linden.
And we should keep in mind the cameras never ask for a raise!
LEE ANDERSON
Milford
This is such a racket. Got a second citation and the offense date was before I received the first citation. I changed my behavior as soon as I got the first. But since it took 3 weeks for me to get the first citation I was not stopping completely for those 3 weeks. I learned my lesson upon the first citation but kept getting charged.
ReplyDeleteAlso, when you call (an automated system, btw) to get a court date, they are so back-logged that it took 4 weeks for them to call back. If people are blindly paying these citations, they stand to make a ton of dough.
Interesting tale about all your problems. Let us all know how things progress.
ReplyDeleteSomebody has to put a stop to Pohatcon's deceptive practice. I am on my third citation for a rolling right at the 519 intersection. I never received a warning notice for my first violation. When I got my first citation I immediately stopped the rolling rights. Unfortunately for the next two weeks I received my second and third. The last one I got today is dated 10/15/11. I got my first citation 11/1/11 for a 10/1/11 infraction. This means there could be more coming. This practice of back charging violaters can't be legal, can it? We have stopped shopping in Pohatcong because of the unfairness of this back charging. Anyone who lives in the area knows that when the traffic coming from Stewardsville has the green, the opposing traffic has the red. I'm not saying that making a rolling right is legal but your not causing an immediate danger when you know the opposing traffic is stopped. I plan on arguing my point in court just so people know the unfair practice Pohatcong is purpetrating by holding on to these infractions and then unleashing them all before you even have a chance to correct the behavior. Maybe it's time to OCCUPY POHATCONG. Any thoughts?
ReplyDelete